Company description

A literary nonprofit located in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn’s arts and cultural district, The Center for Fiction supports readers and writers of all ages and histories, and builds community through fiction. We offer a wide range of public programming for local and national audiences, workshops and creative spaces for emerging and established writers, and awards and fellowships that support the development of fresh talent and inspire readers to discover new voices.

Job description

Position: Lead Barista/Bartender (Temporary)

Employee Type: Full-time, Hourly + Tips, Non-Exempt, Temporary Position anticipated dates Feb-May 2026

Reports To: Retail Manager

Work Schedule:

There are 2 open positions:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 8am-4pm & Thursday 10am-6pm
• Tuesday-Saturday, 12:30-8:30pm

Please indicate in your application which position you are applying for.

Days and hours may change to provide coverage as needed. Shifts scheduled between 8am-9pm, typically between 6 & 8 hours in duration. Some shifts will be worked alone.

Wage: $20/hour plus tips; Historically, tips have averaged $9/hour, but are not guaranteed

Position Overview:

The Center for Fiction operates a café & bar to support the organization’s mission, and as a service to our community. The Lead Barista/Bartender role is to provide operational support for the Retail Manager while setting the standard for excellent customer service.

Responsibilities:

• Act as team leader for the cafe staff assigning tasks, model best practices, and be the first resource for staff & customer issues/questions
• Monitor and maintain inventory working with suppliers, staff and accounting team to ensure smooth operations and excellent quality control
• Work with other CFF departments to provide services/staffing for events and make sure any invoices are sent to accounting for collection
• Provide customer service as a barista/bartender as needed/scheduled
• Maintain CFF spaces to ensure smooth cafe operations and an enjoyable experience for patrons including maintaining DOH cleanliness standards
• Work closely with Retail Manager on other tasks as assigned

Qualifications:

• Reliable, organized, and detail-oriented
• Strong customer service orientation
• Minimum two years barista and bartending experience
• Food Handler’s license
• Move supplies up to 50lbs on a weekly basis
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 75% of the time during an 8 hour shift

Ideal Qualities:

• Ability to work independently
• Dependable
• Demonstrated resourcefulness and good judgment
• Experience supporting small and large-scale events
• Ability to engage effectively with a wide range of people of all backgrounds

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline